Fates Against
by Zurizip
Summary: Renamed from 'A Simple Survey', now a romance fic exploring the problems that might face anyone without an X-Gene brave enough to love a mutant, and vice versa.
1. A Simple Survey

Inspired by my recent survey experience:

            Kat and Tony stood out side the mall, looking up at the immense structure.  "Come on Tony.  We gotta do it sometime…"

            Tony looked at Kat despairingly.  "Are you sure you don't want to just fake this?  We can't just use our calculators to simulate the answers?"  he looked at her, begging in his eyes.  "Please?"

            Kat sighed. "Please Tony, she'd catch it.  Lets just do this."

            Tony sighed also, defeated. "Fine, but you are doing the talking, I'm too bashful."

            Inwardly, Kat rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything.  "Come on, here, I'll show you how."  She strode over to a woman sitting at the bus stop. "Excuse me madam."  The woman look up at her, a flash of suspicion in her eyes.  Kat ignored it. "Would you be willing to take a quick survey for my Statistics Course?"

            The Woman frowned. "Well, I would, but you see, I'm not from here." 

            Kat smiled calmly.  She was used to dealing with people.  "That's fine madam, we just need your opinions on some things."             

            "Well…" Kat smiled again, and the woman seemed to break down. "Go ahead."

            "Ok, do you feel that mutants are a danger to society as we know it?"

            The woman bit her lip, and then nodded. "Yes, yes I do."

            Kat nodded, showing no emotion whatsoever, though Tony frowned slightly. "Do you believe that Mutants and their powers should be registered?"

            "Absolutely."

            Kat smiled and nodded graciously, marking down her answer under 'yes'. "Ok, last question!  Do you feel that Hitler had the right to have all Jews wear a yellow star in the early stages of World War Two?"

            The woman's eyebrows flew up, and her face changed. "Of course not!  What are you using this for again?"

            Kat kept the smile plastered to her face and began to move away.  "It's for our AP statistics course, thank you for your time, and have a lovely day!"

            With that she grabbed Tony by the arm and turned away, walking into the mall, and away from the woman's scrutinizing gaze.  Tony's eyes were slightly wider than usual as he looked at Kat.  "Good grief!  I thought she was going to take our heads off at the last question!"  

            Kat smiled.  "Yeah, I got a little freaked out myself."

            Tony looked at her again.  "Are you sure we should do this?"

            Kat grinned back. "You want to fight with my computer some more?"

            Tony shuddered and shook his head. "Lets go."

            The two ventured into the writhing crowd.

~^~

            Nearly every survey that they did had nearly the same results, some were more complacent, some less so.  One wheedled away on a tangent for five minutes.

            "Whoever wrote this survey is full of baloney!"

            Tony's face fell, but he covered it well.  "Well, we didn't write it, we are just the ones that are handing it out." He said in a monotone voice.  

            Kat nodded.  "It's a case of the messenger."  

            The man nodded and continued talking.  Finally Kat cut in smoothly as he handed her the survey. 

            "Thank you sir, we appreciate your time!"  And with that she grabbed Tony forcefully by the arm and led him away.

            "Gees!  And I thought the first one was bad!  I thought he'd start yelling at us!"

            Kat nodded. "No kidding.  Bloody republicans."

            Tony laughed.  "There's some more, go and ask them.'

            Kat sighed.  "Oh yippee, another chance to get looked at strangely and disapproved of."

            Tony laughed. "Don't worry about it.  Just ask 'em!"

            Kat sighed.  "Excuse me?"

            The three people sitting at the bench looked up.  The girl had dark hair with a streak of white that fell down and framed her face.  Kat thought it rather pretty.  She wore long gloves and a scarf.  A boy's arm draped across her shoulders, with incredible blue eyes and short blond hair.  The last one was longer dirty blond hair and brown eyes.  A non descript character, except for the hardness in his eyes.  Kat hope feverently that he wouldn't say much.

            "Yeah?" Asked the blue-eyed one.

            Kat shook herself.  There was something about him that was a little unnatural.  Not bad, but unnatural.

            She glanced back at Tony for moral support before plunging into the usual blurb.  The three listened and nodded after glancing around.

            Kat took a breath.  "Do you believe that Mutants are a danger to society as we know it?"

            All three frowned simultaneously.  Kat's heart seized up.  Nothing more than a terse shake of the head came from any of them though.  The one with long blond hair started to flip a lighter on and off.  Kat assumed it was a habit and dismissed it, albeit nervously.  "Do you believe that Mutants and their powers should be registered?"

            Something snapped the tension in the air between them, and the one that had been flipping the lighter stood up.  Taller than her by an inch or so, which was an accomplishment for her stature, he glowered.  

            "What do you think you're getting at?"

            Though a bit intimidated, Kat answered without batting an eye.  "It's for a statistics course.  We're going to take our answers and compile a report for our teacher."

            The boy snorted. "Sure.  Just like those legislators that insist that registration is constitutional."

            "John…" said the girl quietly. "She just asked a question."

           "No, she didn't."  The lighter flicked open again, this time the flame seeped into his hand, and snaked up to his finger.  It was a filigree string, flickering around his index.  Slowly, he touched it to the column 'no'.  Kat dropped the clipboard, her hands going to her mouth.  The blue-eyed boy sat up. "John!  Don't make trouble!"

            But the boy seemed to be done.  He stood where he was, smiling like the cat that had swallowed the canary.  Kat stared down at the clipboard for a moment, and then finally tore her gaze away.  She whipped her head up to stare into the boy's eyes.  

            "You assume too much."

            "I think not."  Answered the boy.

            The girl got up and towed the boy back to sitting on the bench.  Kat took a deep breath and stood up, making sure her posture did not reveal a whit of how he had ruffled her.

            "Last question." She said flatly, matching John's fiery gaze. "Do you feel that Hitler had the right to have all Jews wear a yellow star in the early stages of World War Two?"  

            There was an almighty pause.  Neither of the three moved, as if she had stunned them.  The boy especially looked like a deer in the headlights.  Kat found her self patting herself on the back mentally, and even managed a cat's smile.

            "No." said the girl, her boyfriend followed with his own no.

            Both looked at John.  His eyes had become hard as diamonds, as if mad that she had received the privilege of the last laugh.  "No."

            Kat smiled perkily, a dramatic change of mood, and broke his gaze.  She marked down the answers as usual and turned, finally letting her face show her relief.

            "What was _that about?" asked Tony in amazement, taking the clipboard and scrutinizing it.  "And what's up with this mark?"_

            Kat took three deep breaths before answering. She glanced at the burn on the paper.   "The pen broke, and let's just say he wasn't too happy with the questions."  

            Tony nodded.  "I had noticed that much." he said dryly.  

~^~

            "John.  I think you just scared one of the few people that actually was *for* us!"  Cried Rouge, and Billy nodded.

            "She's right, john, you're supposed to be keeping a reign on that temper, and no powers in public!"

            John bit his lip and looked down.  She had not back down at all.  Even when he'd burned his answer into her paper himself, she had barely been ruffled!  He hadn't met anyone yet that had not backed down with their tail between their legs on any intimidation, mutant or otherwise.  She had still gone through though.  And Rouge was right.  She probably would resent mutants now, because of him.  Slowly, the realization came to him that he needed to apologize.  The realization surprised him, he had never felt the need to apologize for his actions.  Still, the need was there, and he pushed himself up from his spot on the bench, and ran off.  Rouge and Billy glanced at each other once, and immediately got up to follow him.  They couldn't see him though, he was already lost in the crowd.  

            "I hope he doesn't do anything stupid." Said Billy.

            "Probably will." Commented Rouge, and they sat down on the bench again, keeping a sharp eye out for people running, and a sharp ear for screaming.

~^~

            Footsteps rapped against the hard tile of the mall floor, quickly approaching.  Kat and Tony ignored them, until a hand spun Kat around unexpectedly. The clipboard dropped to the floor again.  Kat almost yelled, but suppressed the urge.  The boy had hold of both of her elbows, and he looked a little torn.

            "_What?" said Kat a little too loudly, making some of the mall patrons glance at her worriedly._

            "I'm sorry!" blurted the boy.  It came out a little too quickly, and was a little garbled.

            Kat brushed his hands off of her and bent down to retrieve the clipboard.  She looked up at him, and noticed that his eyes had softened.  Slowly, her anger at him ebbed away along with the fear.  "Its fine." She finally said, and moved to turn away.  The boy wouldn't have it though, and spun her back around to face him.  He ended up nose to nose with her.

            "No, no it wasn't.  I was stupid, and rude, and I'm not even supposed to…" he groped for the words "Do that kind of thing in public!"

            Kat nodded. "And I can see why."  She looked down at the clipboard again and sighed. "Look, I know it might seem that way, but not all of us…non-mutants," it took him a moment to realize she had not used the word 'humans', the term often used for those without the X-gene  "…are all that bad, just like not all mutants are bad."  She smiled "It's a thin line, and I realize that.  So does he." She nodded to Tony, who was staring at them, abashed and only barely comprehending their conversation.  "You might try walking that line a little more yourself."

            John nodded, and Kat drew away.  For a moment, it looked like all was well, but on an impulse, john stepped forward, putting his face near hers again. "Thank you."

            Kat's eyes flicked to his own, and held. "For?"

            "Not letting me loose hope.  I thought they were all like them."  He waved a hand at the passing crowd.

            Kat chuckled and shook her head.  "It isn't the mutants against the non-mutants.  It's the ones who fear what they don't understand against those who don't take everything for face value."

            John nodded and straightened.  "Bye."  Kat looked down to find his hand offered.  Smiling, she took it.

~^~

            "I'm going to find him.  It's been too long."

            Billy got up, and started off into the crowd.  Rouge followed, grabbing his hand as they started in the direction John had gone.  

            "There!" Rouge pointed.  John was locked in a staring match with the girl who had given them the survey.  Both started forward, fearing the worst…and stopped as John offered his hand and the girl took it.  Looking at each other, they smiled and slowed to a walk.  John turned away and walked to them, waving.

            "What was that all about?" said Rouge tensely, casting worried looks at the girl and her friend.

            John shrugged, and smiled.  "Nothing much, there's just a little more than meets the eye to her, and I wanted to find it."  Billy and rouge shook their heads.  When Pyro waxed poetic, it was always better to ignore him.  He came between then and draped a friendly arm over their shoulders.  "Come on you guys, lets head back to the mansion, the prof'll be wondering where we are."

            "Yeah, as if he doesn't already know!" said Billy, smiling at Rouge.  They headed out of the crowd.  John only glanced back once, and found her gaze again, giving her a look that mirrored his own mixed feelings.  He didn't have time to explore it though, before he could let himself feel anything, he forcefully turned himself away, and returned to the happy conversation between Billy and Rouge.

~^~

            "Kat!  What was that all about?"

            Kat was left frowning at the floor after John left.  "I dunno Tony." she sighed.  "Come on, I think we've managed enough for now.  I don't think I want to do this anymore anyway."  

            Tony nodded enthusiastically.  "Finally!  You want me to ask the people at work?"

            Kat stared off into space.  "Yeah, sure.  Though we've got so many of one mindset I bet we could fake the rest and get away with it."

            Tony clapped his hands.  "Good grief yes!  Here, you give them to me, and I'll finish it."

            Kat twisted to hand the surveys to Tony, and as she did, looked back one last time.  Even in the horrendous crowd, her eyes still found his without difficultly, so quickly it was eerie.  The impact of his eyes was almost physical, but before the full effect could be realized, they both broke eye contact and turned back to their respective lives.          


	2. More than Meets the Eye

Oh, I apologize to all of you, but I couldn't leave them alone!

If this is to make sense, you must read 'A Simple Survey'  

And now, on with the show.

            "And would you like a Safety first flight today?"

            A crinkle of the nose gave the booker her answer, and she clicked 'no' on her console.

            "Papers?"

            She took out papers from her purse and passed them to the girl, nausea building in her throat.  It was so wrong for them to do this, but it was everywhere now.  Ever since the damn had broken and it had been blamed on mutants, the action had been cinched.  She closed her eyes to get herself under control.  The woman typed the number into her computer.  It gave a beep, and the receipt was printed out and handed to the girl, the papers following.  She looked at them, deadpan.  It was hard to believe that they had really done it, had really passed the law that required all mutants to register, and everyone be tested for the X-Gene.  What was worse, she supposed, was how public the information was.  There was no being inconspicuous, everyone had to have the chance to see them, and sneer at them.

            She sighed as she came up her gate.  Her ticket, passport and papers were all checked again, and she was escorted especially to her seat.  It was 22-C.  She sat down and arranged her baggage as usual.  She put a strip of gum in her mouth, found her music player and turned it on, leaning back in her seat.  A few more people trickled in, but she knew that they weren't mutants, and anyway, she didn't care.

            The boarding protocol was very strict.  On all flights not Safety first, Humans were boarded first, and taken especially to their seats, then given the chance to ask any questions.  Then, each mutant on the flight was taken in individually, and seated.  Before take off, every mutant was announced with name, powers, and strength factor.  It made her ill to think about it.

           There was movement, and a second later, someone was seated next to her.  A surly looking man, about her own age, eyes covered with sunglasses.  Kat noted this, and shut her eyes again, not caring to hear his name and so on.  It was over soon enough, with the flight still carrying empty seats.  A flight attendant tapped her on the shoulder and told her that she would have to turn off her music and sit in an upright position.  She did so without complaint.  The plane began to move, the captain giving the usual spiel about the flight, their destination, and the people on board.  She just stared out the window.

            Five minutes later, the plane arced into graceful flight, and settled into cruising altitude.  The man next to her had not said a word, but she got the feeling that he was staring at her.  It only made her marginally uncomfortable, mostly because she hated it when people stared.  When he finally spoke, it made her jump, though he was quiet.

            "You've changed."

            She shook her head. "Pardon?"

            "Kat, right?"

            She frowned.  Was she sitting next to a telepath?  She didn't think so, but then, she hadn't listened to the announcements.  Who knew?  "Yeah, but how did you know?"

            The man smiled and took off his glasses. "You don't remember?  It was only a year ago."

            Kat smiled uneasily, at least he wasn't reading her mind, he just had a memory like a steel trap.  "Sorry, no."

            He smiled, his eyes lighting up in his face.  A memory bloomed in her mind, but she couldn't quite pin it down to look at it properly.  Something about those eyes.  "How did you do on that Statistics project?  Though I bet you I can guess the shocking results, judging by the state of things now."

            Kat gasped, the mall, the survey, they boy, it all came flooding back.  Unfortunately, the only thing that she could say was a whispered "Oh god…"

            John held out his hand, "John, Nice to meet you, again I suppose."

            Kat took his hand gingerly.  "Talk about your small worlds."

            He nodded, "Yeah.  Where're you off to?  College?"

            A pause.  "Yeah."

            "Don't want to leave?"

            Kat glanced over at him.  He seemed to know everything instinctively.  It was creepy, but at the same time she wasn't scared at all.  It was like this was fated.  At least, she seriously doubted the possibility that this meeting was pure coincidence.  "Its more apprehension.  I haven't been all on my own before, and even though I know it has to happen sometime, it's still…"

            "Scary?"

            She nodded.

            John sat back and smiled.  There was a long pause that was not all together comfortable.  Kat stared out the window as the plane flew over another city.  John shifted, and his leather jacket squeaked.  "Do you ever think about that day?"

            Kat smirked.  "Oh yes.  You scared me more than I've ever been scared before or since."

            John looked at her in surprise.  "You didn't show it."

            "I've always been good at that."  She said flatly, closing her eyes.

            He sat back in his seat, as a burly man walked past to go to the lavatory.  He sneered at him, and cast an appraising eye on Kat, who ignored it.  "How'd that survey turn out anyhow?  Did anyone get it?"

            Kat sighed.  "No, and I got in a spot of trouble with my teacher.  Was told to do the assignment over again."

            "Really?  That sucks."

            Kat smiled.  "Yeah, we did something on Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream the second time."

            "Sounds absolutely mind-numbing."

            "A lot safer though.  Nobody burnt a mark into my clipboard."  

            John smiled.  "I said I was sorry."

            "Yeah.  I got the impression that wasn't easy for you."

            John's right eye snapped open.  "How'd you know?"

            "Something in the way you said it."

            The eye closed. "Oh."  A pause.  "You remember it that well?"

            Another pause.  "Yeah."

            John didn't so much see as feel her blush.  He got the feeling he was a little red himself.  How was it that they could both know the other so well?  It had been like that a year ago, and it hadn't changed.  A touch on his hand made him start and open his eyes.  Kat was running two fingers along his index, the one that had twisted the fire and made his mark.  She was frowning slightly.  "I'm beginning to think you were right about people."

            John sat up, propping himself on an elbow. "How so?"

            "They don't understand.  They're too frightened by you."

            John took her hand gently.  "I hate to tell you this, but they should be."

            She smiled.  "I know.  I saw the news.  There was quite a hubabaloo about the boy who burned the police cars."

            His face fell.  That had been beyond stupid, and he was lucky no one knew, or could prove, that it was him.  He was just lucky he hadn't killed anyone.  "Then why are you still speaking to me?"

            "Honestly?"  she asked.  He nodded.  "Because I feel like I know you."  He stared, abashed.  She shook her head.  "I don't understand it, but I can't see how it could have come to that if the police hadn't over reacted with that other man."

            John looked down.  "I don't know.  I have a bit of a temper."

            A snort.  "So I had noticed."

            "Is this guy bothering you miss?"

            Both looked up to find the man that had gone to the lavatory earlier looming over them.  John belatedly realized that he was still holding her hand, and how bad this would look.  He dropped it like a hot potato.  He was about to reply heatedly when Kat took his hand again and gave him a meaningful look.

            "Not at all sir, but thank you for your concern."

            The man snorted.  "I dunno, looks like he's bothering you to me."  

            Kat looked at john and smirked.  "If he was, I'm sure I could take care of it, but he isn't."

            An apprehensive look was all that she was met with.  "Miss, you do know he's…one of them, don't you?"

            She smiled smoothly.  "Of course sir.  I heard the announcements as clearly as you did."

            This bordered on an insult, and the man knew it.  Giving john a glare, he held out his hand.  "Come on girl, you'll sit next to me and my wife.  You'll be safe there.  This one's obviously gotten to you."

            A hard squeeze on his hand was the only indication that Kat was angry.             Hesitantly, he gave her hand his own squeeze, hoping her temper was better than his.  It proved to be, because she answered this declaration with as much coolness as she had answered him not so long ago.  He was busy staring at the man, and missed the surprised and grateful look she gave him for his support.  

            "The only way this one has 'gotten' to me is through trust and time."  She looked at him slyly, and he suddenly wondered what she would say next, since they had been together for maybe two hours total.

            "Oh, and how is that?"

            Kat smirked and John readied himself for a bald faced lie.  "You see, we're together.  So obviously I have no need of your protection, or worry, but thank you for your concern, and good day."

            The lie had the desired effect, and the man, utterly shocked, went back to his seat complacently.  Kat dropped his hand and looked at him apologetically.

            "Sorry about that."

            John felt nearly as shocked as the man had looked.  "Ok…" he said quietly.

            "You don't mind, do you?"

            John quickly shook his head.  "No…no, don't mind at all."  He sighed.  "I wish you wouldn't have had to, but I don't mind that you did."

            "I shouldn't have had to.  But I don't mind that I did either."  He turned his head to look at her, and there was laughter in her eyes.  "I could do worse." She said with a smile.

            John smiled too.  "Me too."  He shook his head, thinking about mystique, "Much, much worse."

            Kat leaned back in her chair.  "How long is this flight again?"

            John checked his watch.  "Three more hours.  New York to Florida is a bitch."

            Kat humed in agreement, eyes still closed.  John looked at her and sighed.  _But I'm glad that I'm doing it with you next to me, _he thought, _rather than someone like that guy down the aisle.  _

            A few minutes went by, and it took him a moment to realize that she had fallen asleep.  Slowly, he reached for her hand, and picked it up.  He told himself that there was nothing to this girl beside her companionship for this flight, but couldn't help himself.  _There's more than meets the eye to her…he had been right, and he still was.  What he would do about it, he didn't know.  What she was when he found what was behind those eyes, in that mind, he knew even less.  But he still wanted to find out what it was._

            She shifted in her sleep and ended up with her head on his shoulder.  Smiling he leaned his head on hers and closed his eyes himself.  _No need to worry about it now.  He thought to himself as he drifted off,_ there's still the rest of the flight.__

*Authoress:  Yes, there will be more.  Forgive me this little cliché, but I really couldn't resist.  I promise and swear, on all of my fanfic writing power, to *not* turn this into a usual OC/X-Men fic.  

I SWEAR!

Hugs and cookies for anyone who reviews!


	3. Battle in the Mind

            They landed at about 10:30 that night.  Kat didn't even stir for landing.  Jon didn't object, though his left arm was practically numb.  As the cabin lights came on, he experimentally tried to move the fingers on his left hand, and felt the familiar tingle of a limb being woken up.  Unfortunately, the weight on his arm was still there.  He didn't relish the thought of waking her, he had been enjoying himself, but there was nothing for it.  She had to go to college, he had to meet Magneto.  He sighed.

            "Kat…" he whispered.  She groaned in protest.  "Ka-at." He said in a slightly sing song tone.  She groaned again.

            "Don't ever do that again."  She moaned, finally moving.  

            "Poor baby…"Jon retorted with a hint of sarcasm, "Don't like the morning dove's song?"

            "If you're a morning dove, than I'm the Queen of Sheba."

            "Well then, my liege, I'm sure that the crew of the plane would simply love to get us off of here, so do you think you could suffer to oblige them?"

            Kat eyed him suspiciously.  "Are you hitting on me?"

            Jon grinned.  "Why?"

            As she grabbed their take on luggage and handed him his, Kat threw a little smile over her shoulder in the cramped aircraft.  "Because I wouldn't mind."

            Behind Jon, a child of about ten snorted.  "Get a room will ya?"  she asked quietly.  Kat glanced behind Jon to look incredulously at the girl, who looked perfectly innocent as she gathered her things and begged her mother to hurry up.  Jon snorted, Kat covered her grin with a hand.  Then the line began to move, and the moment was lost as Kat was forced to exit the aircraft.  

            They emerged from the humid boarding tunnel into Miami airport.  It was air-conditioned and obviously well cared for.  All the floors were shining, the chairs clean, and carpet immaculately vacuumed.  Kat breathed in, thankful that the flight was over.  As if by habit, she waited for Jon to emerge as well.  Suddenly, the realization of the entire flight washed over her.  What the hell was she doing?  She didn't know him at all, but she was acting like a lovesick teenager!  Granted, she was only eighteen, but she was proud, and had thought this sort of thing below her.  Flings were not what she was looking for.  

            _A fling?__  Asked a small part of her.  _Do you want this to be a fling, or do you want it to be real?  _She tried to tell herself it was merely an amusement for the flight, for both of them.  __Oh really?  Then why did you protect him from yon burly beast?  Kat glanced at the man who had threatened them, who glared back.  _Because no one deserves that treatment!  _She protested to herself.  Yes, that was it.  _Uh huh, suuuure, _Said her rebellious conscious.  Kat suddenly realized that she had a headache.  "I don't need this."  She sighed._

~^~

            Jon was still sitting in the plane.  People trickled past, as if taunting him.  He was not allowed to get off the airplane until all non-mutants had gotten off.  Thus, he was left to brood.  Magneto hated humans with a vile and hideous passion, and only a day ago, Jon would have been inclined to agree, for the most part.  But when a girl protects you from someone who resembles a bad version of _King Kong _by saying that she's married to you, well…it had a tendency to make you think.  And he was thinking all right.  His mind felt like it was going so fast he'd never be able to stop it.  Jon sighed as images of little hamsters running as fast as they could was conjured in his head.  He knew that he shouldn't get involved.  He knew that it was dangerous, he knew that it was bordering on stupid.  But how was he supposed to stop himself?  His mind drew a blank.  It never occurred to him not to just part without a contact.  There were only seven people left on the plane, and two of them were airline attendants, so he got up.  Maybe she had already left, maybe he was over analyzing.  Maybe…

            There she was.  All question vanished as she smiled.  

            _Damnit__, said both their minds simultaneously, __I shouldn't be doing this.  But screw what I shouldn't be doing._

~^~

            Despite their closeness on the plane, they did not touch as they walked towards the baggage claim.  

            "How are you getting to the school?"  Jon asked, truly curious, since she didn't seem to have much of an idea of the lay of the town.  Kat shrugged.

            "There's an airport shuttle the first two weeks before and after school starts.  A lot of people come early for sightseeing, and their parents stay for a little while to make sure they're ok."

            "What about your parents?"  Jon asked before it occurred to him that it could be a touchy subject.  

            Kat smiled.  "They had something to do, and I told them not to worry about it anyway.  Dad's not a tourist city type of guy."

            Jon snorted, "but you live in new York."

            Kat laughed, handing her baggage ticket to the man, who typed the number into a computer.  Her bags came down a chute and landed at her feet was a _whoosh.  _Jon followed suit as she answered.  "Yeah, but we live no where near the big city.  It makes it seem smaller."

            Jon nodded as his bags shuddered to a stop at his feet.  He glanced at his watch, mystique should have been there, and she did not like to be kept waiting.  Jon glanced at the row of doors that lead to the outside and picked out her red jaguar.  Kat followed his gaze, and he was suddenly thankful that at the moment, Mystique had chosen to look like a man in his early thirties, rather than a svelte lady in red, like she often did in public places.  She had an ego complex to rival his own.  "You ride?"  asked Kat.

            Jon nodded, suddenly regretting the fact that Mystique was always on time.  "Yeah, sh-he's taking me to my apartment.  You sure you don't want a ride?"

            Kat smiled.  "My mommy always told me not to take rides from strangers."

            Jon's mood fell a notch as the truth of her statement set in.  They really were nothing more than strangers.  Five hours together was not enough to count as friends.  He kept his smile though.  "Well then, I guess I should go, Murphy hates to wait."  

            "Yeah, especially at a place like the airport.  I should go find the shuttle anyway."

            There was a moment of extremely awkward silence as each fought their respective inner battles.  Suddenly, Jon broke the silence.  "Listen," he said, rummaging around in his bag for a paper and pen, "I know you don't know the town well, and I've been here off and on all summer, so why don't you meet me here," he handed her the paper, on which was scribbled an address and the word 'Starbucks Café' "…next week."

            Kat stared at it a second, going through her options.  She could do what nearly every red-blooded American would have her do, and say she was sorry, but school would tie her up.  Or…Or, she could accept, and accept whatever consequences and stipulations came with the offer.  _Well, _she thought, _all those red blooded Americans out there are going to be awfully disappointed in me.  _"Sure, Jon.  Sounds good to me."

            He smiled, and shook her hand studiously, then turned on his heel to walk out.  Kat did the same, figuring that was that, no big deal.  Her baser self forced her too glance behind her, and it was like de-ja-vu.  His eyes were right there in the crowd, just like the first time they had met a year ago.  _A fling, huh?__  Asked that little part of her.  __Oh go stuff yourself.  She said, and discarded her conscious' opinion._

~^~

            "Who was that?"  asked Mystique as Jon climbed into the car.  

            "Dunno."  Jon lied smoothly, "sat next to her on the plane, she needed directions to…"  he trailed off.

            "Yes?"  Mystique inquired coolly as she pulled out of her parking space.  

            "Ah, I don't even remember."  He said off-handedly, proud of his lie.  He caught sight of her though, as she walked out, and stared, though she didn't see him.  Mystique gave him a side-wards glance and smiled, seeing where his eyes rested.  _Well, well, _she thought, _little our little pyro, just arrived and already lying to us…_She said nothing as she put the car in gear and sped off, filing the information away to be used at a later date.


End file.
